Automatic can top catcher for can openers



March 2, 1937. F. F. HosMER 2,072,333

AUTOMATIC CAN TOP GATCHER FOR CN OPENERS Filed Nov. 25, 1935 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 STATES PATENT AUTMATIC CAN TOP CATCHER FOR C'AN OPENERS Calif.

Application November 25, 1935, Serial No. 51,423

6 Claims.

My invention relates generally to can openers and more particularly to automatically operating means for receiving and gripping the top or end portion of the can that is cut by the can opener and thus preventing the cut top or end from dropping into the can.

My automatic can top catching device is parlticularly designed for use in connection with can openers of the type employing a pair of pivotally lo connected jaws, one of which carries a blade and the other carrying a manually operable disc for imparting movement to the can so that the top or end thereof is engaged by the cutting blade and can openers of this type are disclosed in my l5 co-pending applications for U. S. Letters Patent Ser. No. 755,632, filed December 3, 1934, and Serial No. 35,075, iiled August '7, 1935. v

The principal object of my present invention is, to provide relatively simple, practical and in- ,m expensive means that may be conveniently applied to the forms of can openers disclosed in my aforesaid applications for patents and which means, after being set at the beginning of the can opening operation, acts automatically to receive and grip that portion of the end or top that is cut from the can and thereby preventing the cut end or top from dropping into the can. Inas much as the size oi the member that is cut from the can is equal to the size of the opening made by the can opener, the removal of the out portion of the end where the same has dropped into the can is a troublesome operation and even though tools are used to effect the removal of the cut piece, there is danger of injury to the hands of the operator and my invention is especially designed to eliminate these objectionable results and conditions.

With the foregoing and other objects in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of the forward o portion oi a can opener and showing my improved top catcher in position thereupon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the top catcher applied to a can opener.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device and 00 showing the position thereof when engaged and gripping the cut portion or end of the can.

t Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

55 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rear plate of the device and which is rigidly secured to one of the jaws of the can opener.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View or" the iront plate that is mounted' for sliding movement on the fixed plate.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, it designates the upper jaw of the can opener and l l the lower jaw thereof, which jaws are pivotally connected by a pin or rivet l2,

Rigidly secured to the front face of the upper jaw it, preferably by means of screws I3 having countersunk heads, is a horizontally disposed plate lll and the lower outer portion thereof is cut away as designated by l5.

Formed integral with the plate at the inner end of the cut away portion l5, is an outwardly presented lip I6 that is inclined both lengthwise and transversely. This lip provides the fixed member against which the can top engages when` gripped by the movable member of the device.

Seated in and projecting outwardly from the front face of plate ifi above the cut away portion l5, are heated studs ll and i8 that occupy the same horizontal plane, the shank of the stud ll being round in cross section and the shank of stud i8 being square or non-circular in cross section.

Projecting forwardly from the inner end of plate it, is a pin i9 that may be grooved or perforated for the reception oi one end of a retractile spring.

Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the iront face of plate id, is a plate 2i! provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 2l for the re- Y ception of the shanks of the studs Il and i8.

Extending upwardly from the end of slot 2i at the inner end of plate 2t is a notch or recess 22 that is adapted to receive the square or noncircular shank of stud i8 when plate Zis moved to its limit of movement outwardly upon plate it.

When so positioned, plate 2@ is slightly tilted on plate Hi and the engagement of the square shank of stud i8 in notch 22 holds plate 2t at its outer limit of movement as illustrated in Fig. l.

Projecting forwardly from the outer end of plate 20, is a pin 23 and suitably secured thereto is one end of a retractile spring 2li, the opposite end of the latter being secured to pin i9.

When plate 20 is moved to its outer limit of movement on plate I4, spring 24 is expanded and the tension thus developed is sufficient to move plate 20 lengthwise on plate I4 when the plate 2U is tilted slightly so as to disengage the notch 22 from stud IS.

Depending from the inner end of plate 2B, is a iinger 25 and projecting outwardly from the lower portion of the outer edge thereof, is an ear 26. This ear is adapted to be engaged by the thumb or linger when plate 20 is moved outwardly into set position on plate I4.

Depending from the outer end of plate 2l), is a hook 2l that projects toward the nger 25 and the upper edge of this hook is inclined lengthwise and provided with small teeth or corrugations 28.

Formed in the lower edge of plate 20, immediately adjacent the depending iinger 25, is an upwardly projecting notch 29 which is for the purpose of permitting the point of a screw driver or the like to engage the slotted heads of the screws I3 that secure plate I 4 to the upper jaw of the can opener.

In the use of my improved can top catcher, plate 2li is moved into set position by engaging the lip 25 with the thumb or nger and moving plate 20 outwardly on plate I4 and at the end of such movement tilting said plate 2li slightly so that the shank of stud I8 engages in notch 22. This movement expands retractile spring 24 and positions the lower end of finger 25 directly in front of the cutting blade of the can opener and immediately to the rear of the inclined plate I6.

The can opener is now manipulated in the usual manner to cut the end or top from a can during which operation the can is rotated against the cutting blade.

Just previous to the completion of the cutting operation the cut portion of the can being connected to the surrounding portion of the end of the can by a narrow neck of metal will, as a result of the pressure of the cutting blade, tilt so as to occupy an inclined position relative to the top oi the can and this upward movement of the cut portion of the can exerts suilicient pressure against the lower end of ringer 25 to move same upwardly a slight distance, thereby disengaging notch 22 from stud I8 and the retractile power of spring 2!! will receive sliding plate 2U lengthwise upon plate IA with the result that the cut end or top of the can will be engaged by the beveled toothed upper edge of hook 2l and clamped against the inclined plate I5, such action taking place simultaneously with the completion of the cutting of the top or end from the can.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a can top catching and gripping device that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very eiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form, and construction of the various parts of my improved automatic can top catcher for can openers may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

i. The combination with a can opener having a pair of jaws, one of which carries a cutting blade, of means comprising a xed member and a spring held sliding member mounted on the jaw that carries the cutting blade for automatically engaging and gripping that portion of the can that is cut by said blade, at the termination of the cutting operation.

2. The combination with a can opener having a pair of pivotally connected jaws, one of which carries a cutting blade, of a plate secured to the jaw that carries said blade, a second plate mounted for sliding movement upon the iirst mentioned plate, a retractile spring arranged by the said plates, a projection on the fixed plate and a hook on said sliding plate, which hook is adapted to cooperate with said projection to grip that portion of a can that is cut by the blade of the can opener.

3. The combination with a can opener having a pair of pivotally connected jaws, one of which carries a cutting blade, of a plate secured to the jaw that carries said blade, a second plate mounted for sliding movement upon the rst mentioned plate, a retractile spring arranged by the said plates, a projection on the iiXed plate, a hook on said sliding plate, which hook is adapted to cooperate with said projection to grip that portion of a can that is cut by the blade or" the can opener, cooperating means on said plates for holding the sliding plate in said position with the retractile spring expanded and a finger pro-jecting from said sliding plate and adapted to be engaged by the cut portion of the can at the termination of the can opening operation.

4. An automatic can top catcher for can openers comprising a plate adapted to be secured to one of the jaws of a can opener, studs projecting from the front face of said plate, a second plate mounted for sliding movement on said studs, a retractile spring arranged by the said plates, a member projecting from the first mentioned plate beneath the sliding plate and a hook earried by said sliding plate for cooperating with said projection to grip an interposed can top.

5. An automatic can top catcher for can openers comprising a plate adapted to be secured to one of the jaws of a can opener, studs projecting from the iront face of said plate, a second plate mounted for sliding movement on said studs, a retractile spring arranged by the said plates, a member projecting from the rst mentioned plate beneath the sliding plate, a hook carried by said sliding plate for cooperating with said projection to grip an interposed can top, cooperating means between said sliding plate and one of said studs for holding saidsliding plate in set position upon the rst mentioned plate with the retractil-e spring expanded and a linger depending from said sliding plate on the opposite end from said hook.

6. The combination with a can opener having a pair of pivotally connected jaws and a cutting blad-e carried by one of said jaws, of a pair of cooperating members carried by the jaw that carries said cutting blade, one of said members being mounted for sliding movement upon the other, a retractile spring connecting said members and cooperating means on said members for automatically engaging and gripping that portion of the can that is cut by the blade at the termination of the can opening operation.

FRANK F. HOSMER. 

